Selective trigger mechanism



Oct. 9, 1962 H, ETAL 3,057,101

SELECTIVE TRIGGER MECHANISM Filed July 6, 1960 "Milling INVENTORS HOWARD L. MILLER IRVIN K. MILLER A TTORNEYS 3,057,101 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 Fire 3,057,101 SELECTIVE TRIGGER MECHANISM Howard L. Miller and Irvin K. Miller, both of RD. 1, Millersburg, Pa. Filed July 6, 1969, Ser. No. 41,177 Claims. (CI. 4242) This invention relates to a selective trigger device for a two barrel gun and specifically to a device for mechanically selecting the barrel which is first to be discharged.

In double barrel guns, mechanically operated selective mechanisms have been used which overcome certain disadvantages found in selective mechanisms operated by the recoil of the gun. Such mechanically selective mechanisms usually include a trip member which is pivotally mounted on a trigger or on a post mounted on a trigger. A spring urges this trip towards a position below one of the sear members which engage the respective firing pin hammers. Usually the spring is positioned to urge the trip toward one scar, and manual shifting of the trip to a position below the other sear is accomplished with a selector arm which engages the spring to oppose the spring force and shift the trip. The main function of the spring is to allow the trip to be automatically shifted upon the discharge of the first barrel when the respective sear moves downwardly into contact with the trip to urge the trip into a position below the other sear. Selective mechanisms of this type are shown in the Miller Patents No. 1,898,255 and No. 2,173,308.

As shown in these patents the spring force biasing the trip is maintained by rigidly attaching the spring to the trigger member or to some portion of the trigger mechanism. After many actuations even the rnose secure fastening of the spring may tend to weaken with the resultant lessening of the spring force if not a failure of such a fastening.

It is a major object of this invention to provide an improved trigger mechanism having a trip acted upon by a spring wire which is mounted without rigid fastening and positioned to shift the trip below the selected sear.

To accomplish the object of this invention, a major feature resides in the manner in which the trip positioning spring is retained in a distorted condition to urge the trip toward its selected position. The trip is pivotally mounted on the trigger member which has an upwardly extended arm, the trip and the arm being provided with recesses to receive and retain the ends of the spring. To shift the spring, a selective means engages and retains the spring at a point intermediate its ends to move this intermediate portion in one of two opposed directions to shift the trip below the respective sear member. Between shifting operations the spring is retained in an arced position determined by the two recess openings and selective means.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a trigger embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the trigger embodying the invention as mounted within the trigger mechamsm;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane as indicated by lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the plane as indicated by the lines 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane as indicated by lines 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the plane as indicated by the lines 6-6 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the trip in its alternate position.

As shown in the drawings, trigger member 1 is mounted within the trigger mechanism housing for pivotal motion about shaft 2. Trigger member 1 supports trip member 3 for pivotal motion about pin 4 for positioning below either sear 5 or sear 6 which in turn engage the spring biased firing pin hammers (not shown). As shown in FIGURE 2, sear 6 is biased downwardly by spring 7 and sear 5 is biased downwardly by a similar spring (not shown).

Arm 8 extends upwardly from the front portion of trigger 1 and has a rearwardly facing surface fia provided with first recess 9 that opens toward a corresponding second recess 10 on the front face 3a of trip 3. Spring wire 15 is mounted between arm 8 and trip 3- with its ends inserted in recesses 9 and 10 in such a manner that the longitudinal movement of the spring is restricted by the recesses. The distance between recess openings should not be greater than the length of the spring wire as projected onto a vertical plane containing the openings less the depth of one of the recesses.

Trigger member 1 is provided with an approximately horizontal bore 19 in communication with a vertical hole 17. Selector rod 18 is mounted within bore 19' and pin 16 is disposed within hole 17 and secured to selector rod 13. Pin 16 is provided with an aperture 20 through which spring wire 15 is threaded for retention of the spring wire in its distorted condition.

For rotation of rod 18 to position pin 16, knurled head 21 is attached to rod 18 in any suitable manner and is so placed as to be easily accessible to the trigger finger of the operator of the gun. Front arm 8 of trigger 1 is provided with a downwardly facing V-shaped surface 25 and recess 23 is disposed in knurled head 21 to receive detent 22. Spring 24 urges detent 22 upwardly to engage the appropriate portion of V-shaped surface 25 and to retain the selector rod 18 and thus spring wire 15 in their selected positions.

When it is desired to discharge the barrel corresponding to sear 6 the operator of the gun rotates knurled head 21 in what would be a clockwise direction as shown on the drawings, thereby moving pin 16 in a corresponding direction to distort spring wire 15 and shift trip 3 below sear 6. The upward force of spring biased detent 22 against the corresponding portion of V-shaped surface 25 will retain knurled head 21 and pin 16 in this position and maintain the distortion of spring wire 15.

If it is desired to first discharge the barrel corresponding to sear member 5, the operator of the gun rotates knurled head 21 in what would be a counterclockwise direction as shown in the drawings, detent 22 being forced downwardly to pass under the apex of V-shaped surface 25. This action moves pin 16 to a position as shown on FIGURE 7 thereby moving spring wire 15 to the distorted position indicated to position trip 3 beneath sear 5. Detent 22 will again be urged upwardly by spring 24 to engage the appropriate portion of the V-shaped surface 25 to retain knurled head 21, pin 16, spring wire 15 and trip member 3 as so positioned.

While we have disclosed only one embodiment of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a trigger mechanism for a two barrel gun including a pair of scar members, a pivotally mounted trigger member having an upwardly eXtended arm, said arm having a backwardly facing surface and a first recess extending inwardly therefrom, a trip member pivotally mounted on said trigger member behind said arm and having a second recess opening towards said first recess, an unbiased, straight spring wire having one of its ends loosely inserted in said first recess and its other end loosely inserted in said second recess, said recesses restricting the longitudinal movement of said wire, and means connecting with a point between the ends of said spring wire to transversely shift the spring wire and distort the wire into a bowed shape, thereby positioning the trip member below one said sear member, the biasing action of the bowed spring wire retaining the trip member positively in position.

2. In a trigger mechanism for a two barrel gun including a pair of sear members, a pivotally mounted trigger member having an upwardly extended arm, a trip member pivotally mounted on said trigger member for positioning below one of said sear members, said arm having a first recess opening towards said trip member and said trip member having a second recess opening toward said arm, a selector rod rotatably mounted on the trigger member, a pin secured perpendicularly to said rod intermediate of said recesses and having an aperture extending radially therethrough, an unbiased, straight spring wire inserted through said aperture and having one end loosely inserted in said first recess and its other end loosely inserted in said second recess, whereby the spring wire is distorted to a bowed shape upon rotation of said rod to shift the spring wire and position the trip member below one of said sear members.

3. In a trigger mechanism for a two barrel gun including a first sear member and a second sear member, a pivotally mounted trigger member having a downwardly facing V-shaped surface, a trip member pivotally mounted on said trigger member for positioning below said first sear member, an unbiased, straight spring wire mounted on said trigger member in engagement with said trip member, a selector rod rotatably mounted on said trigger member below said V-shaped surface, a pin extending from said rod and engaging an intermediate point of said spring wire to laterally shift said intermediate point upon rotation of the selector rod and distort the spring wire to a bowed shape to position and retain the trip member below said second sear member, said rod having a knurled head to facilitate the rotation, and a detent disposed within the knurled head and spring biased to engage a portion of said V-shaped surface to retain the rod in its selected positions.

4. In a trigger mechanism for a two barrel gun including a pair of sear members, a pivotally mounted trigger member having a first hole in one of its surfaces, a trip member pivotally mounted on said trigger member for positioning below one or the other of the sear members, said trip member having a second hole opening towards said first hole and spaced therefrom, a spring wire longer than the spacing between said holes and having each end loosely contained in a different one of said holes, and means for engaging an intermediate point on said spring wire and applying a force in each of two opposite directions transversely of said wire to shift said point a sufficient distance to bow the spring in either of the two transverse directions, whereby said trip member is pivoted to a position beneath one of the sear members and a holding bias applied to said trip member.

5. In a trigger mechanism for a two barrel gun including a pair of sear members, a pivotally mounted trigger member having a first recess opening in one of its surfaces, a trip member pivotally mounted on said trigger member for positioning below one of said sear members, said trip member having a second recess opening toward said first recess, a straight spring wire having each of its ends loosely inserted in one of said recesses, said recesses restricting the longitudinal movement of said wire and means connecting with a point on said spring wire between its ends to transversely shift said point to a position lying outside a straight line between said recesses whereby said spring wire assumes a bowed shape, thereby positioning and retaining the trip member below one of said sear members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,852 Houldcroft Sept. 19, 1905 2,095,525 Mariano Oct. 12, 1937 2,173,308 Miller et al. Sept. 19, 1939 2,366,893 Eiane Jan. 9, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 819,571 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1959 

